David_Weatherly's Blog

With gas prices soaring, many of us are looking for vacation destinations a little closer to home. I’m talking “One tank trips.”  If that’s what you’re looking for, then I’ve got a place for you. It’s right up Highway 29 in Danville, Virginia and from anywhere in the Triad, a fill-up will be more than enough to get you there and back. And though this trip involves one tank of gas, it really involves dozens and dozens of another kind of tank; the military kind. 

The American Armored Foundation Tank Museum was founded in 1981 with the mission to collect, restore and preserve as many military tank and Calvary artifacts as possible. Today it boasts over 117 tanks and artillery pieces, weaponry and uniforms from all over the world. The museum is open year round, but once a year they put on a special event knows as the “Tank Extravaganza.” This gives them an excuse to take the normally stationary giant chunks of steel, out for a spin; usually over the top of a few cars. 

While they can’t fire the big tank guns, there are plenty of demonstrations involving automatic small arms, firing real bullets. The hottest weapon, and I mean hot, has to be the one fired by Charlie Hobson.

 Charlie is an expert on flame throwers. He is one of the few people in the world, who can, or will demonstrate these fiery fountains of death. The Tank Museum is also one of only a few places where you can see him do so.  

When he pulls the trigger, the devilish device erupts with a blast of sound and heat. Watching, you can’t help but gasp and step back, as a wave of hot air, like the draft from an open doorway to Hell. I check my eyebrows. I can’t imagine being on the receiving end of that thing. It’s no wonder our enemies feared it.   

 See for yourself this weekend, April 26th and 27th at the Tank Museum in Danville.

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